SERS biosensors based on cucurbituril-mediated nanoaggregates for wastewater-based epidemiology

Hierarchical self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) mediated by macrocyclic molecules, cucurbiturils (CBs), provides a facile method to fabricate surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors for potential applications in biosensing and environmental monitoring. In contrast conventional techniques wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), CB-NP SERS offer great opportunities on-site quantification trace chemical biological markers due its high sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility, multiplexing capability tolerance against contamination. The working principles the CB-Au NP nanocomposites including fabrication, sensing mechanisms structure-property relationships are explained while design guidelines selected examples discussed. review concludes highlighting recent advances this area exploring context WBE.